Stealing Thy Heart
I wandered the manor restlessly, waiting for news on Lady Finnula. She had gone into labor early this morning when she was trying to dress herself without the help of a maid. The stubborn woman had refused help from the maids and had wanted to do everything her way.
"Get back in there you little wench and stop her screams!" I heard my father bellow from upstairs, all the way from his bedchamber. I swallowed nervously and headed in that direction. Lord Hugo might need me to get something for the Fair Finn.
"Jamie, we need warm water and more towels!" Mistress Laver shrieked as she hurried past me with her arms full of buckets that were empty.
One blood curdling scream from My Lord and Lady's bedchamber sent me scampering after the cook.
Hours later Lord Hugo was finally allowed into his chambers to see his wife after the maids had cleaned the room and our Lady up as best as they could in short notice. I snuck a peek into the room, curious about my new half sibling.
The Fair Finn was propped up back against goose feathered pillows and she had two wolf pelts laid across her as she held her new babe to her breast. I quickly looked away from the beautiful but worn out woman to look at my father.
He was sitting at the foot of the bed, patting Finnula's ankle while he was staring dazedly out the window. His long blond hair was unkempt looking and Lord Hugo's kept changing colors from gold to brown then green. It was eerie.
It still amazed me that everyone in the village and a few surrounding towns all commented on how much I looked like my father, with his blond hair, hazel eyes and towering height. I did have his hair and eyes but I had yet to grown past my father's shoulders and I was still skinny even though I was of fifteen years.
"Jamie, what are thee doing? Sneaking a look at your new sister?" Lady Finnula voiced, making me jump in surprise. I felt my eyes widen in surprise.
"Sister? Truly, a little lady was born?" I questioned, gazing curiously at the baby with new interest.
"Aye, a little lady," his Lordship murmured, grinning lopsidedly at me.
"She will be named after my mother, Helen," Finnula exclaimed proudly. Lord Hugo looked at her in surprise.
"Your mother? I don't remember agreeing to such a name," Hugo growled.
I edged out of the room, not wanting to listen to them squabble over names again. I went to look for Marcus, to see how he was fairing since he wasn't at the center of attention for once. I found him in his nursery with his elder wet nurse.
"Ah, Jamie, what brings you to this part of the house? I would have thought that you would be seeking a glance of your new sibling," the nurse said, smiling at him kindly before continuing to clean up Marcus's many toys from the floor.
I did not stay long with my brother since I still had duties that I needed to see to now that the baby was born. I hurried out to the stables, picked my favorite horse, Gunner, a light brown steed with black spots on its back legs. I had picked him out for that very reason just a year ago.
I took my time and headed towards the millhouse first to let Robert and his wife know that the babe was born and then I was to ride over to the sheriff, and so on until all of Finnula's sisters knew about their new niece. It was rather a boring job for me to do, listening to the women squeal and make promises to visit the manor soon.
The sun was just starting to lower in the sky and the heat was finally letting up from the back of my neck when I saw Fat Maude, the prostitute from the village, walking in the streets and was more surprised when I saw Evolet trailing behind her like a lost dog.
"Ah, Sir Jamie, Lord Hugo's dashing son! What brings thee into the village at this hour? A lady's company maybe?" Fat Maude called out to me, leering openly at me. I stilled my horse, curious as to why Evolet was with the prostitute.
"Nay, my father's child has been birthed. Letting Lady Finnula's sisters know of the news has been an all day journey," I replied, eyeing Evolet still.
Her hair had gotten longer but looked uncombed like always. Evolet's clothes were too short for her, giving me a clear view of her ankles and more of her arms were showing than what was comfortable in the chilly evenings. She was becoming a woman though and I was a sure witness of it from that day at the creek months ago.
"Oh, do you like my girl here? She's going to be staying with me now, going to take over my business in a few years. Perhaps you'll stop by my hut then?" Maude exclaimed proudly, patting the girl's head.
My face flushed and I frowned at the pair of them. "You assume too much," I grumbled before nudging my horse back into a trot. I rode back towards the manor, thinking about all the guests we would be having soon.
It seemed like the manor was overflowing with guests over the next few days from Finnula's sisters and brother-in-laws to my father's many serfs. I stayed back in the shadows, watching the visitors warily, making sure no one was going to harm my new sister.
"Father, do you believe Sheriff de Brissac would allow me to join his men?" I asked cautiously, eyeing my father for his reaction. He looked up at me from the books that he was going over, raising a golden eyebrow at me.
"John? You wish to work for him? Aye, I suppose he would be willing to take you on. You will have to speak to the man yourself though," Lord Hugo muttered thoughtfully, eyeing me from my seat across the table from his massive form.
I nodded and left my father to his work. I headed to the stables, readying Gunner for a trip to see the Sheriff. The sun was quickly rising in the clear blue sky and it was steadily getting hotter. I ignored the sweat dripping down my neck as I nudged Gunner along the dirt trail that lead to de Brissac's house.
Mellana was washing clothing by the doorway while her son, Daniel, played a few feet away with an old tomcat. Her trim waist wasn't as trim now that she was pregnant again with the Sheriff's babe but she was still a beauty to look at though.
"Jamie, what brings you to our home? If you are looking for John then he went into the village to arrest Fat Maude again. Would you like a cup of ale before you leave?" Mellane said once she spotted me atop my horse.
I shook my head no, called out my fair well before turning Gunner onto the path that lead to the village. It wasn't long before I could hear the many loud voices coming from near Maude's hut. I sighed and dismounted Gunner before following the noise while my horse trailed behind.
"Maude, you should know by now that I'd arrest you," John de Brissac said loudly, a few laughs quickly following his remark.
A few people were watching their Sheriff rebuke the prostitute once again. I spotted Evolet watching warily from the doorway of the hut. She was wearing one of Fat Maude's old dresses and a piece of rope was tied around her waist to keep it up. The only difference was that her long black hair had been combed out and tied back in a loose braid like Finnula's.
"Well, you shan't this time. I've got my girl to look after now," Maude said proudly, waving her hands grandly towards the blushing Evolet.
I glared at the older lady in disgust. It was like she was trying to sell items to eager customers. I realized with a jolt what she was trying to sell, Evolet. Some of the men in the village were present and this was a preview for them of what they could have soon. I shivered with disgust again and a strong emotion washed over me, stilling me in surprise.
"A girl?" the Sheriff murmured, looking at Evolet with curious eyes now. "Was it your parents, girl that left the village just last week for London?" he asked, ignoring Maude's jabbering.
Evolet's face turned brighter in embarrassment and perhaps anger as well. She pushed her stray hair out of her eyes before answering the Sheriff. "Aye, sir, they left me here," she muttered, glaring at the ground.
John suddenly bellowed and turned to the prostitute. "You great whore, taking advantage of a child who don't have anyone else! Samson, take her to the jailhouse!" he yelled. One of his men stepped forward and led the shocked lady off.
John went up to Evolet and grabbed her arm and dragged her behind him like she was a rag doll until he got to his own horse and lifted her up onto it. She sat uncertainly on top of the beast until the Sheriff swung up behind her and took the reins.
I hurried and clambered back onto Gunner and rushed after the man before they got to far away. "Sheriff, please wait!" I called after him. He turned around in his saddle curiously. John grinned when he saw it was me following after him.
"Jamie, laddie, what are you doing? Does Lord Hugo need me at the manor?" he asked, slowing his horse so I could catch up with his stead.
"No, sir, I have been searching for you myself. I wish to join your men," I exclaimed, ignoring Evolet as she examined the horse curiously from her seat. She didn't bother to acknowledge me either.
"We will talk more of this later, boy. Let me take care of this little one first," Sheriff de Brissac said, nudging Evolet's bare foot with his boot. She glanced back at the Sheriff before eyeing me cautiously before running her fingers through the horse's mane.
Mellana had already strung up the clothing to dry and was sewing up a hole in Daniel's trousers while the boy himself ran around the front yard after one of John's hounds, laughing happily the whole time. Both of them stopped what they were doing to look at Evolet scramble down from the horse.
"Mellana, I've found you a worker to help you with this summer's batch! This girl will be helping you watch Daniel and help you brew your ale!" de Brissac explained, patting Evolet's head.
Mellana got up excitedly and embraced Evolet before pulling her into the house, talking about this summer's brew while Evolet looked around confused, looking like she wasn't sure how she had gotten here.
John laughed merrily, turning to me. I slid off of Gunner's back and tied him up next to the Sheriff's. I must have had a confused expression as well because he started jabbering away.
"Mellana's been talking about hiring help with this summer's brew. With Daniel running around and her pregnant she wouldn't be able to handle it all herself so I killed two birds with one stone. I couldn't let Evolet turn into the next Fat Maude and the girl needs a place to stay so she'll be here for a while," he laughed again, his belly trembling with him.
"Ah, I see." I stared at the house still, unsure how to bring work into the conversation.
"What was it you were saying about joining my men?" the Sheriff asked, glancing over at me now. I grinned.
I rode to the Sheriff's house with a deer slung across Gunner's back. Finnula, Hugo, and I had went hunting early in the morning for the serfs so Lady Finn suggested that I take some meat to her sister before the heat made it smell.
Evolet was standing in the yard in one of Mellana's dresses that she couldn't fit into any more and had her hair done up in ribbons (by Mellana, no doubt). She was playing with Daniel and the tomcat while Mellana was standing with John near his horse, whispering something into his ear while squeezing his hand lovingly.
I shuddered. Love. Seemed troublesome from what I have witnessed in the village but John and Mellana and even father and Lady Finnula at times make it seem so…..mushy. I shuddered once more before halting Gunner and un-strapping the deer from its place and lowering it to the ground.
"Here's some dinner for you, Sheriff!" I called, getting the couples attention. Mellana pushed a few of her blond curls out of her eyes, smiling at me before walking over to Daniel.
I helped de Brissac cut and clean the deer and I even helped get some of the meat inside of Mellana before I decided that I needed to head back to the manor. As I was leaving their house I turned around once more to say my goodbyes but my words were cut short.
Evolet was bent down, giving me a wonderful view of her cleavage that was about to pop out of Mellana's dress as she pet the hound's belly with a small smile on her face. She glanced up, catching my hazel eyes with her bright blue ones before returning her eyes to the dog. My face flushed but that didn't stop me from taking another glance before heading to the manor.
Author's Note: *sigh* I know it has been a while since I updated this but this wasn't at the front of my mind until recently. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out.
Thanks for reviewing by the way. Hope you enjoyed!